Bharat Ratna demand for Tenzing in limbo

[On May 29, 1953, at 6:30 in the morning, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary began a seven-hour assault to the top of the world’s highest mountain. Pic courtesy: www.adventure-journal]

Bijetri Biswas, Darjeeling, 27 May: As the world celebrates International Everest Day and the 101st birth anniversary of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa on 29 May, Jhamling Sherpa, the first Everester’s son, says the Indian government does not care when it comes to conferring the Bharat Ratna on his father.

Tenzing Sherpa, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, was the first to step foot on the top of the world’s highest peak on 29 May 1953.

While the demand to have the country’s highest civilian honour conferred on Tenzing Sherpa for his feat has been long pending, the issue comes to the limelight only on such occasions as the Everest Day. Sherpas in Darjeeling and the Hills people have been demanding the award for Tenzing ever since the government extended its ambit to “excellence in any field of human endeavour.” The demand gathered steam when Darjeeling Member of Parliament (MP) SS Ahluwalia batted for the same during his Lok Sabha election campaign in 2014. The senior BJP leader had said that he would look into the matter if BJP was voted to power at the Centre.

“It seems leaders forget their promises once they are elected,” Jhamling Sherpa said, when asked what was happening of the award.

“The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling, had also said that he would appeal to the Centre for the top honour for my father. The people of Darjeeling are looking forward to the leaders making good their promises,” he added.

“I am still pursuing the matter: Mr. Narendra Modi has also said that Tenzing Norgay Sherpa deserves the Bharat Ratna. I am still in favour of what I’ve earlier said,” Mr. Ahluwalia said over telephone yesterday. “Tenzing Sherpa and Edmund Hillary had together climbed Mount Everest. When compared, the decorations received by Tenzing Sherpa are less that that received by Hillary. While Hillary was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, Tenzing received the George medal because the Prime Minister had refused permission for his knighthood.

The Bharat Ratna would have given him his due respect,” said PT Sherpa, the Vice president of the United Sherpa Association of Darjeeling.

According to him, the Sherpa have approached the central as well as the state government for this cause.

“When Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Darjeeling in 2013, we met her and explained to her the reasons for our demand. She said she will do what is possible on her part,” he said, adding that not much progress has been made in this regard.

“The apathy on the part of the government deeply hurts the sentiments of the Sherpas and all the residents of Darjeeling hills. Tenzing Sherpa is known not only in India but the world knows him for his Everest feat,” Mr Sherpa said, adding: “Sometimes, I wonder if the negligence is because Tenzing Sherpa belonged to a minority community.”

Jhamling Sherpa said they will soon send a memorandum to Prime Minister Modi.

“Tenzing Sherpa was a simple man and he was not fond of publicity,” said Durga Das Pradhan, a senior citizen of Darjeeling and a family friend of the Sherpas.

PT Sherpa, meanwhile, said they will not celebrate the birth anniversary of Tenzing Sherpa in a grand manner this time by keeping in mind the victims of the Nepal earthquake.

The George Medal from the British government in 1953, Nepal Tara, The Nepal Pratap Vardak awards, the USSR sports Special Medal, the Special Olympic Medal, the French Sports Special Medal, the Italian Sports Special Medal and the Coronation Medal of Queen Elizabeth II are some of the honours received by Tenzing Sherpa. SNS

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